IVF has been a boon or blessing for couples who have not been able to conceive naturally. It is the most common ART method used to help individuals and couples who struggle with infertility. While successful IVF cycles have fulfilled the parental dream of many couples, a failed IVF can have a devastating effect as well. Therefore, you may get the crucial question – the number of IVF cycles needed for successful pregnancy.

IVF isn’t a procedure that produces results overnight. One complete IVF cycle can take about 3 weeks. The process can take longer if the steps need to be split into different parts. In IVF, eggs are extracted from the women and fused with sperm outside in a laboratory. The fused embryo is then either transferred back into their uterus for implantation or frozen for a later use.

The number of cycles of IVF required for successful pregnancy is never an absolute number as IVF is an individualized treatment method. The success rate of an IVF cycle varies from person to person and from cycle to cycle. Women who don’t get pregnant in the first cycle have excellent chance of getting pregnant in the 2^nd, 3^rd and even more IVF cycles. There are various factors that affect IVF success. These include:

• Age of the patient – both the quantity and quality of egg can decrease as age advances. The highest success rate is found in women < 35 years. Even the sperm quality drops after the age of 34 years.
• Past history of miscarriage, ART cycles and births – women with previous history of miscarriages may have difficulty in conceiving via IVF than women without history of miscarriage. Also, it is easier for women to get pregnant via IVF if they have delivered a child before or have not taken ART cycles during their previous pregnancy.
• Infertility problems or conditions in women – though IVF is the solution for infertility in women suffering from conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, blocked fallopian tube; having these conditions present a challenge for IVF alone. In some of these cases, other surgeries or the services of a donor might be needed.
• Lifestyle choices – lifestyle can be an important factor in conceiving both via natural means or IVF procedures. For example, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking and weight gain/obesity can have a negative impact on the success rate of IVF. Committing to a healthy lifestyle like healthy diet, quitting of smoking or alcohol can contribute to a successful IVF cycle.
• Psychological and emotional aspects – with every failed IVF cycle comes psychological stress and depression and this further adds to mental strain and impacts on success rate of IVF.
  
  

IVF outcomes can vary from person to person based on all of the factors listed above. On average, research has shown that about 65.3% of patients or 2/3^rd have a successful outcome after 6 or more IVF cycles. This is especially applicable for IVF patients < 40 years of age. However, we recommend planning for no more than 3 – 4 IVF cycles. The chances of IVF increase the more attempts you make.

Overall success rate:  
First attempt                –        68.8%
Second attempt            –        85.7%
Third attempt               –        95.1%

These figures apply to IVF for women who use their own eggs. With use of donated eggs, overall success rate is even higher at 99.3% by the third attempt.

We at Fertility Foundation/ SISU Hospital specialize in catering to personalize the IVF cycle to every individual to secure the best results. There are no guarantees, but 9 out of 10 of our patients achieve their dreams of holding their own baby in their arms. If you would like to know more/ discuss your concerns with us, do get in touch with us at +9194433 00000